Author: staff

Published on 28/04/2026 – 9:44 GMT+2 The Champions League semi-finals kick off on Tuesday night — but if you expect real drama only on the pitch, look closer at the accounts. While everyone watches the twenty-two players chase a ball, your reporter is following the money to witness a high-stakes clash between entirely different visions of how to build a global sporting empire. Let’s take a look at it together. First, we have Paris Saint-Germain. Owned by Qatar Sports Investments, PSG has transcended football to become a global lifestyle brand. And at the centre is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the most prominent…

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Published on 28/04/2026 – 8:34 GMT+2 Look what you made her do… Taylor Swift has applied to trademark her voice and image in what seems to be an attempt to protect herself from artificial intelligence impersonations. The pop superstar has lodged three trademark applications in the US. One using a photo of herself on stage during her Eras Tour; the other two being audio clips of her introducing herself while promoting her last album, ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’. Here is the visual image protected by Swift: “By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not…

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The record-breaking disruption to the global energy supply triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is the main cause of the crisis. The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned a daily loss of approximately 13 million barrels. And in just the first 17 days of the Iran war, the EU was forced to spend an additional €6 billion on fossil fuel imports due to soaring prices. To ensure energy independence and affordability, Brussels turning its attention back to the nuclear sector, fixing a grid that renewables alone cannot stabilise. This pivot marks a transition toward a strategic “energy mix”,…

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A heavy snowfall hit Moscow overnight on Monday, leading to falling trees and traffic disruptions. More than 200 snow-laden trees fell, damaging cars and power lines, city authorities said. Several trains and more than 50 flights were delayed. A new record for snow depth on April 27 was set in Moscow, with snow cover reaching 12 centimeters. The severe weather was caused by a deep Baltic cyclone, the center of which has moved north of the European part of Russia. According to forecasts, the snowfall is expected to continue until Tuesday evening in the Russian capital, bringing a full month’s…

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Digital ID kerfuffle  The app the Commission issued this month is the latest hiccup in a years-long effort to get tech apps up and running to check the age of internet users.   Brussels and EU member capitals have already spent two years working on “digital identity wallets,” which should be available across Europe by the end of 2026.   But the EU executive announced last July it would roll out a “mini-wallet” designed to help tech platforms check the age of their users, as worries mounted about the impact of social media on the health of children. The mini-wallet was meant to come out before the broader digital ID apps; it’s the one the Commission showcased in mid-April and is officially recommending to…

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By&nbspTheo Farrant&nbsp&&nbspAP Published on 28/04/2026 – 7:00 GMT+2 A new experimental town near Mount Fuji is being developed in Japan as a large-scale testbed for robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous, zero-emissions transport in everyday life. The settlement, which currently spans about 47,000 square metres, is already partially inhabited, with early residents moving through streets shared with autonomous vehicles, delivery robots and AI-driven systems. ‘Woven City’ is being developed by Toyota, and is named as a nod to the Japanese manufacturing company’s origins in textile loom manufacturing. “Woven City aims to collaborate with mobility from the perspective of social infrastructure. By…

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Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Today on the pod, we’re talking money, money, money. An important vote on the EU’s next long-term budget is happening in the European Parliament. Zoya and Nick discuss how lawmakers are pushing for a bigger cash pot … which will likely cause a stir with some countries. We unpack the battle lines already starting to form. Also, the College of Commissioners is meeting in Strasbourg to discuss how drafting legislation could be made more efficient — although critics warn this could weaken important safeguards. Plus, last week the Commission unveiled an age verification app…

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Die Amtszeit von Bundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier endet im kommenden Jahr, am 30. Januar 2027 wählt die Bundesversammlung seinen Nachfolger oder seine Nachfolgerin. Markus Söder hat den Startschuss in die Debatte gegeben, Friedrich Merz pfeift zurück, alle anderen positionieren sich. Gordon Repinski mit einem Plädoyer für eine Kandidatin oder Kandidaten, die oder der Aufbruch symbolisiert. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview der stellvertretende Fraktionschef der Grünen, Andreas Audretsch zur Frage: Sind die Grünen die bessere Reformkraft als die SPD? Im Talk: Jonathan Martin aus Washington. Der Senior Political Columnist liefert den Überblick nach dem versuchten Anschlag beim White House Correspondents’ Dinner im Hilton, ordnet Trumps…

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